The Teal Pumpkin Project Explained: Fun Non-Candy Alternatives, Interactive Maps, and More!

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   Lady H September 5, 2019 at 9:44 am MST

   We love teal pumpkin! We have done it for years, and having kiddos with allergies, we always look for the teal pumpkins. We print out a flyer from the website every year and post it on our house at the beginning of October so people who drive by our house can see it all season long to know we’re participating. It also helps spread awareness. Such a fantastic movement!

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  Amber (Hip Sidekick) September 5, 2019 at 10:21 am MST

  It sure is. Thanks for sharing how you have participated each year, Lady H!

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   Courtney September 5, 2019 at 9:56 am MST

   I have heard about the Teal Pumpkin Project before and feel that it is such a great movement. My 19 month old son has had food allergies since he was born and trying to determine what made him sick at the beginning was heartbreaking. Also, being a mom with a child who has food allergies, it is so unbelievably hard sometimes because they don’t understand why they can’t have what everyone else is having, allergy safe treats doesn’t just make my life easier, but it brightens that child’s day even more!! While I did check the map in our area for other households participating, I only found one, and it isn’t close. So this year we will be placing a sign and our teal pumpkin out! Hopefully it will bring awareness to other parents who stop by.

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   Kat September 5, 2019 at 10:05 am MST

   I made a white shirt with a teal pumpkin on it last year to wear while taking my kids around – I carried non candy treats to hand out while we walked and my husband carried a bowl of candy – best of both worlds! I missed handed out candy since we had five little ones to take trick or treating!

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  J September 5, 2019 at 10:14 am MST

  That was generous & awesome of you all to still hand out treats!

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  Amber (Hip Sidekick) September 5, 2019 at 10:22 am MST

  What a great idea, Kat! Thanks for taking the time to onlinement!

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   Carrie September 5, 2019 at 10:10 am MST

   We have also done the teal pumpkin for at least the last 4 years. We find those vampire teeth to be the biggest hit, and you can get a 10 pack at Michael’s for less 10 pieces of candy. We also stock up on things when Halloween stuff goes on clearance, and since, unlike candy, vampire teeth and pencils, and snap bracelets don’t go bad, we always have a fantastic selection at very minimal cost.

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   Marie September 5, 2019 at 10:44 am MST

   I can’t live in a world where there’s no candy on Halloween so it’s our tradition to fill little bags with a pencil, toys, and candy that way kids who want candy get it and kids who cant have the candy can just have the toys and toss the candy (or let mom and dad have it :P). Best of both worlds.

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  Jen September 5, 2019 at 10:55 am MST

  My kiddo has food allergies and can’t live without candy on Halloween either! She wants to be like her siblings & friends. It’s never been an issue for us – we just switch out her candy for the stuff she can eat. My kids love goodie bags – nothing better than toys AND candy!!

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  Alycat September 10, 2021 at 8:04 am MST

  Same here my daughter has peanut allergy and we just trade with her friends who go with us. I feel like Halloween dying. Less and less people open there doors were we live. So I’m just happy they hand out something. It to hard to aconlinemodate all allergy there so many now days. My husband soccer team we had to do no treats because there was 20 different food allergy on team and by time listed every thing out there was really nothing you give kids without leaving one out. I have taught my daughter that this just part of life and that she needs to read label before she eats it.

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   Jenn September 5, 2019 at 12:18 pm MST

   Love!!!! Thanks for sharing the information! We have three littles with severe food allergies and it honestly means the world to me and my kids are when people are thoughtful enough to be all inclusive! 😊

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   Jenn September 5, 2019 at 12:21 pm MST

   Agree with the play-doh onlinement. Play-doh contains wheat, which is one of the top 8 food allergies that the teal pumpkin project looks to avoid. Also, there are some Halloween packages of chocolate sixlets that are packaged in teal and are promoting the TPP but are NOT safe. I hope this helps someone!

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  TraciBo September 6, 2019 at 6:52 am MST

  People that are allergic to wheat and colorings and other ingredients in a play-doh or slime cannot/should not touch it. I am so allergic to wheat I cannot even smell play-doh without having an allergic reaction; however each individual will have a different severity and a different reaction. Also, children with Celiac Disease cannot/should not touch it. I buy different items and always make sure the ingredients are on there and have the adult tell me which treat they can have. I have a cousin in Chicagoland that gives out potatoes 🥔 every year and the kids flock to their house

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  Alma September 2, 2022 at 6:50 pm MST

  Cooked or raw potatoes? I must know!
  We have a neighbor that dressed a monkey one year and teased the kids he was going to give them a banana instead of candy. My kids all wanted the banana. 5 years later this guy is still buying bananas the day before Halloween for my group.

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  v September 10, 2021 at 2:54 pm MST

  Yes, there are different levels. Some kids have reactions if they ingest, some have reactions from contact (simply touching) and some have reactions to inhalation (simply if they breathe/smell it).

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  carrie-9 September 11, 2021 at 8:52 pm MST

  For some people yes. 🙁 So many things need to be avoided that you wouldn’t never even think of. With gluten issues: Shampoos, lotions, toothpastes, deodorants. Etc. People with extreme sensitivities / celiac have so many things to be careful of, food is just one of them.

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   JW September 5, 2019 at 1:21 pm MST

   I have never heard of the teal pumpkin project but will be adding this to our porch this year! How could you not?! Thank you for sharing this! 🤗

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  Pamela I Morris September 6, 2019 at 10:32 am MST

  I absolutely love this idea for children who have allergies. Being classified as being allergic too myself & having to live on breathing medicine, up to 32 medications, along with epipens for the past 12 year’s has definitely made me aware of everything in & around my environment, yet have never heard or seen anything on the teal pumpkin project. I was surprised reading about the teal pumpkin project & seems to have been going on for some while. I am in the allergist/immunologist office more than I visit my own adult children & grandchildren & have never seen anything about this project. Nor, have I ever seen a teal pumpkin on any porch in my onlinemunity or surrounding onlinemunity & We don’t miss a Halloween trick or treat night. I will definitely be painting me one of the white pumpkins this year & participating at my son’s home to hand out the treats while they go tricking. I will be sharing this information with my Drs office as well so they can spread this news for the uponlineing holiday as well.

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   V September 5, 2019 at 2:51 pm MST

   My daughter has peanut and tree nut allergies, and no one in our neighborhood does the teal pumpkins. So sad! So, we usually separate out what she can eat, and sell all the rest back at our dentist “candy buy back” for $.

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    Sarah Lamb September 5, 2019 at 3:29 pm MST

    My 7 year old was diagnosed with food allergies last August. I went full out Teal Pumpkin last year, even though we had always had non toy items to give, I did 75% toys and you k ow what? It was the candy, not the toys left behind! We had over 300 trick or treaters too!

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    Anne September 5, 2019 at 3:30 pm MST

    Any ideas on items that are easily recyclable/biodegradable? I often see stuff for this project thats like plastic vampire teeth or cheap toys that just end up in the trash.
    So far I can just think of stickers/tattoos and pencils.
    All the trash waste around holidays makes me sad.

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  Wehaf September 5, 2019 at 11:49 pm MST

  Mini notebooks, mini coloring books, crayons, soap, sidewalk chalk, seed packets, plantable seed paper shapes, seed bombs, metal cookie cutters, decks of cards (often not recyclable, but less likely to be tossed aside).

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    Melie September 5, 2019 at 3:33 pm MST

    I’ve handed out glow sticks with our candy for several years now and kids *love* it. Plus it helps keep them a little more visible trick-or-treating in the dark :).

    Also, off topic, but the organization behind the teal pumpkin project (FARE – Food Allergy Research & Education) has some fantastic resources for those with food allergies. Their “Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan” is fantastic for anyone who needs to carry an epi-pen – it details symptoms to look for and how to use onlinemon auto-injectors, with spaces to fill in information like your specific allergens, medication dosages, and doctor’s contact info.

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  Amber September 10, 2021 at 8:37 am MST

  I used to pick them up at dollar tree. I’ve found 20 for $1 in the past. I know more recently I feel like the package size is smaller.

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    Karen September 6, 2019 at 6:23 am MST

    I am glad you posted this as we just had a horrible realization that my daughter has an allergy to tree nuts. So now I too will make that Teal pumpkin and get some glow sticks at the dollar store now to stock up for Halloween. You just never know when those allergies will kick in, my daughter is 18 and never had a problem before. This Halloween we join the teal pumpkins family.

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    Happy Aunt September 6, 2019 at 10:03 am MST

    I’ve been giving out drinks such as Capri Suns or bottled water along with Frosty coupons. Kids love the novelty And they often ready for a drink.

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    Sara September 10, 2021 at 2:36 pm MST

    I decided to do non food goodie bags last year, as a serve yourself. I got a sign from Etsy, and put them in a basket on a chair on the front porch. I put a teal pumpkin by them so they know that they’re non-food items, and I actually put on the sign that they were non-food items. I’ve been collecting stuff all year this year to do bigger bags this year. We don’t have kids, it’s fun to make the bags.

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    Linda TT September 10, 2021 at 3:43 pm MST

    We support the Teal Project! Thank you for posting about it. My son is allergic to shellfish and I don’t take any chances. We always have two baskets – one with traditional candies and one with non-candy treats. Get a teal pumpkin! They look cute too 😉

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    Lisa September 10, 2021 at 8:21 pm MST

    Thanks for explaining this! My kids are grown & not having any allergies in our family, I didn’t know what it was about.

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    M September 11, 2021 at 8:48 am MST

    We love the Teal Pumpkin Project! My son has a peanut allergy and trick or treating can be tough because not many houses near us pass out safe treats. Keep spreading the word for the Teal Pumpkin Project! Thank you for posting about it!!! 🙂

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    shinepm October 6, 2021 at 4:54 pm MST

    Are Halloween Rice Krispie Treats considered safe treats? Twizzlers, Suckers?

    I’ve already purchased candy, would it inappropriate to have both?

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  Alikia29 October 17, 2022 at 3:00 pm MST

  I think that is totally appropriate! I’m participating in a neighborhood event and plan to set up a table of “potions” and cauldrons with different treats and prizes. I’ll probably make a sign them saying something about picking their poisons.

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    Sarah October 17, 2022 at 10:48 am MST

    In the past I’ve printed my signs from the FARE website and one gave the option to indicate that you are a home giving away both edible and non-food treats. It is possible to find and giveaway allergy friendly editable treats.

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    anom September 26, 2024 at 8:49 pm MST

    Well my severely allergic son, is now 29. But when he was little, there wasn’t much awareness of food allergies. I lived on a fairly quiet street so I would go to all my neighbors homes earlier in the day or the day before and leave a non food treat for him with them, so he wouldn’t feel left out. It worked for several years. Unfortunately, he is still allergic to many foods, but I always keep non food treats for kiddos.

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  Trish (Hip Sidekick) September 26, 2024 at 8:59 pm MST

  That’s such a thoughtful way to make sure your son could still enjoy the fun, anom! Love that you took the extra step to include him, and it’s great that you continue to offer non-food treats for other kiddos with allergies. Thanks for sharing! ❤️🤗

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